AD&LE AND CO. realistic, I was too much concerned to relish the delicate touch. By splitting his forces, Auntie Emma had put in peril the whole of our plan. Had he learned our design, he could hardly have countered it better, for even if everything went as we had desired, three of his gang would precede us to Halfway House. And once they were there, unless we were to give battle we might as well throw up the sponge. Yet even to try to stop them was out of my power. To do so, we should have to pass Casca. That wras not to be thought of this side of the avalanche-track: and afterwards how could we pass him—with Jonah and Carson as large as life beside us to proclaim the doom which awaited him if he went on ? With a frightful effort I thrust this menacing prospect out of my mind. The present was sufficiently crowded, and all our wit was needed if the barney up above Gabas was ever to fall into place. Three things stood out, as the three worst jumps stand out of a wicked course. The deception I hoped we had established had to be maintained for twelve miles. The Customs had to be passed without any hitch. The gap of a hundred ya4"ds had to be made. Now the maintenance of the deception depended almost entirely upon Hortense and Yvonne. It depended upon their performance—and Auntie Emma was sitting in the very first row of the stalls. I deter- mined to do wiiat I could to help them out. . . . As we came to the cross roads, I made as if to turn off, to I^rans and Pan. Quick as a flash, Hortense gave a shriek of protest, and I .wrenched the wheel round to miss fbe wall by aa inch. 298